Rockaway Museum Brings Art To Youngsters

By Miriam Rosenberg Contributing Editor

One of the works from the 'Explorations with Paper' is this paper sculpture made by one of the youngsters who attended the workshop. The Rockaway Museum has been a beacon for young people on the Peninsula interested in art, as the museum, since March, has hosted several workshops making collages and working with clay.

The workshops held at the Arverne and Seaside Libraries were taught by Sophia Skeans and Anne Hourigan, and gave participants the opportunities to release their artistic muses.

'Paperweights in Clay' was taught around St. Patrick's Day. To celebrate the holiday, students designed painted, three-dimensional clover/shamrock paperweights.

The 'Paper Collage' sessions let the young people attending make pictures using different shapes and sizes of paper.

Skeans, a museum trustee, told The Wave "The children created paper mosaics through floral images. They viewed daffodils and iris' [and] created their artwork through exploring color, form and design elements."

Skeans went on to say "The power of the arts can enliven and transform education. To place the arts and culture at the center of society - this truly engages and enriches the Rockaway community."

Students from the Arverne Library exhibit paperweights they made. Also pictured is instructor Sophia Skeans. These workshops were just some of the projects the museum has untaken in the last few months.

In March, Norma Allende conducted a workshop called 'Explorations with Paper' - during which students transformed flat paper into three dimension forms. That same month, Connie Parente taught the benefits of drumming with the African instrument known as the Jembe. Both events took place at the Seaside Library.

The learning continued on May 22 when Stephen Yaeger, a Rockaway Museum lecturer and Wave science columnist, gave a presentation on the anatomy of a hurricane to classes of the Scholars Academy at Q323.

In addition, Allende has conducted an after school art club at PS 105 three days per week.

"There will be additional Art at the Library workshops during June," said Susan Locke, the president of the museum. "People should watch the paper for details."

Students happily display their works of art from the 'Paper Collage' workshops held at the Arverne Library as instructor Anne Hourigan looks on. A young girl stands proudly by her paper sculptures. Some of the shamrocks made by the Arverne youngsters are laid out for all to see. The tools of the trade used by those who took part in the 'Paper Collage' workshops.